The basis for this study is the assumption that there is a shift in power relations to be observed due to the growing importance of networks online. Following the recent downward spiral of traditional news media’s sales (MarketLine, February 2013) the question is whether those formerly well-respected news sources are not only losing revenue but also their authoritative position as opinion leaders. .
News content may vary in different countries and social layers but the fact that news has always been a decisive factor in human interaction also applies – if not even more – to the online world. According to the recent McArthur report, 58 % of forwarded links in the U.S. are containing a political message – a phenomenon called “latent capacity” (Jenkins, 2012, p. 12). Newspapers have recognized this potential and created their own pages on social networks. But is this measure effective? Are people still more likely to “like” and “share” information which has been publicized by a supposedly reliable media house or do they trace the information back to its source by checking the concerning company’s, organization’s or celebrity’s easily accessible facebook page? Moreover, are facebook “friends” taking over the function of gatekeepers who supply us with information? What is of interest in this respect is where those forwarded links are originating.
As Christakis and Fowler unravel in their study on social networks, those trends do not only spill over from friend to friend, but even more by traversing several connections such as our “friends’ friends’ friends” (Christakis & Fowler, 2009, p. 22) – a phenomenon which Granovetter calls “the strength of weak ties” (Granovetter, 1973). In the time of facebook trends and opinions are taking shape within the realm a virtual place which many of its inhabitants worldwide visit on a regular daily basis (Digitalbuzz, 2013). . It is only natural that new routes of information flow develop within this space. However, so far not study has been made which traces this flow of information and identifies the relevant opinion leaders.
The aim of this study is to be able to answer questions of human interaction; therefore using the example of facebook, the paths shared content takes and the relationships who serve as vehicle to carry this information will be analyzed.
The key question here is: Has the global online network culture altered whom we trust, which news we consume and what information we eventually share with the world?
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Facebook
3. Methods
3.a. Research Layout
3.b. Research content
4. Results
4.a. Netnographic results
4.b. Survey results
5. Conclusions and Limitations
Research Objectives and Themes
This study investigates how Facebook users' news sharing and consumption habits challenge the traditional gatekeeper role of journalists by examining the influence of personal online social networks. By comparing two distinct cultural contexts, Sweden and India, the research aims to understand the mechanisms of news distribution in global virtual communities and whether users consciously adopt journalistic filtering practices.
- The shifting authority from professional journalists to individual social network users.
- News consumption and sharing behaviors within the Facebook platform.
- Cross-cultural analysis of digital news habits in Sweden and India.
- The impact of "weak ties" and network density on news exposure and dissemination.
- Motivations behind news sharing, including status attainment and awareness.
Excerpt from the Research Paper
1. Introduction
This study examines news sharing and consumption habits of Facebook users. More specifically, it is based on the hypothesis that the authority of journalists as gatekeepers is challenged by the influence of personal Facebook networks of individual users.
In favour of new electronic media, users have turned their backs on the “once-dominant print media” (Urban & Bodoky, 2013, p. 809), leading to a downward spiral of traditional news media sales (MarketLine, February 2013). Simultaneously, social media networks seem to have initiated a process of returning to a word-of-mouth culture amongst users worldwide (Miller & Slater, 2000). Trends and opinions are taking shape within the realm of a global virtual place which is frequently visited by its inhabitants (Digitalbuzz, 2013). In the world’s largest online community (DNI, 2010), Facebook, networking as an “intrinsic condition of social life” (Miller, 2011, p. 217) has reached a level of intercultural connectedness which is unprecedented. Following this development, as with any network, it was only natural that Facebook became a living body in itself (Christakis & Fowler, 2009, p. 24) through which new routes of information cleave organically (Nel & Westlund, 2013).
Employing journalistic theories, this study asks if Facebook “friends” have taken over the function of gatekeepers who supply us with information by becoming ‘latent journalists’ who (un-)consciously use a journalistic way of thinking when sharing information. Furthermore, the awaited gratification (Johnson & Kelly, 2003, Katz, et al., 1973) of news consumption and sharing on Facebook will be examined.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter defines the research problem, positing that personal social networks are challenging the traditional journalistic gatekeeper function in the era of digital media.
2. Facebook: This section explores the platform's role as a global space for communication, network formation, and the potential standardization of news consumption habits.
3. Methods: This chapter details the research design, including the use of netnography and quantitative surveys conducted in Sweden and India to analyze news sharing patterns.
3.a. Research Layout: Defines the methodological approach of using a young, metropolitan upper middle-class sample to gain grounded knowledge through triangulation.
3.b. Research content: Outlines the academic models applied, specifically journalistic News Values and uses and gratifications theory, to analyze both the sender and recipient perspectives.
4. Results: Presents the primary empirical findings derived from the netnographic field study and the survey data regarding user behavior.
4.a. Netnographic results: Discusses the observations from the virtual field study, highlighting the role of early adopters and the difficulty of tracking news paths.
4.b. Survey results: Analyzes the quantitative data, revealing significant differences in news sharing intensity and motivation between Swedish and Indian Facebook users.
5. Conclusions and Limitations: Summarizes the study's findings, acknowledging that while journalists maintain a level of control, the user-led filtering process significantly alters the news landscape.
Keywords
Facebook, Gatekeeping, News Consumption, Social Media, Netnography, Journalism, Digital Natives, News Sharing, Uses and Gratifications, Cultural Comparison, India, Sweden, Information Filtering, Online Networks, Media Studies
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this research?
The study investigates how personal Facebook networks and user interaction act as a modern filter for news, potentially superseding the traditional role of journalists as gatekeepers.
What are the core thematic areas covered?
The research centers on digital news consumption habits, the transformation of social networking into a news dissemination platform, and cross-cultural differences in sharing behaviors.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to determine if Facebook users function as "latent journalists" and how global online cultures impact trust, news consumption, and the dissemination of information.
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The paper employs a mixed-method triangulation approach, combining qualitative netnography with quantitative survey data gathered from participants in Sweden and India.
What is addressed in the main body of the paper?
The body analyzes the "sender" and "recipient" dynamics of news on Facebook, utilizing theories like "uses and gratifications" and traditional journalistic "News Values" to explain user actions.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Facebook, Gatekeeping, News Consumption, Netnography, Journalism, and Digital Natives, reflecting the intersection of social media behavior and mass communication theory.
How does the role of "weak ties" impact the findings of this study?
The study suggests that the dense network of Facebook friends—referred to as "weak ties"—facilitates the rapid, continuous, and multi-directional flow of news, which forces users to act as active, albeit sometimes unconscious, filters.
What unique insights were found regarding the difference between Swedish and Indian users?
While sharing habits vary, the study found that Swedish users are more likely to share breaking news, whereas Indian users lean towards more traditional news sources and show a stronger sense of mission to educate their network.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Michaela Strobel (Autor:in), 2013, Filtering news on facebook, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/266022
